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. no MODEL avw'ewboz P. SCHICK No. 744,627. PATBNTBb NOV. 17, 1903. l I P. SGHIGK.

MATCH BOX. APPLICATION rum) SKI-180, 1903. no MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. v

UNITED STATES Patented November 17, 1903.

PATE T OFFICE.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,627, dated November 1'7, 1903 Application filed September 30, 1903. Serial No. 175,141. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

\ Be it known'that I, PHILIP SCHICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dubois, in the county of Pawnee, State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to match-boxes, and more particularly to the class of single-delivery match-boxes, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which may be manufactured at a low cost, which will be positive in its action, and inwhich the parts will be so constructed and arranged as to require a minimum number of them.

In the drawings forming a, portion of this specification, in which .like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the match-safe with the discharge-slide projected to discharge a match. Fig. 2 is aver- .tical section taken longitudinally through the match-safe with the discharge-slide retracted and having a match in its slot ready for move.- ment to discharge it into the tray. .2 Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of-the-match-safe with the discharge-slide retracted. Fig.4: is a detail view of the discharge-slide.

Referring now to the drawings, the present match-safe comprises a hopper, including the sides 5 and 6, the back 7, and the front, the latter consisting of a lower transparent portion 8 and an upper portion 9, the sides, the back, and the portion 9 being of wood, metal, or other suitable material. The sides 5 and 6 extend below the match-holding portion of the hopper and rest upon a base 10 to support the hopper thereon. The lower end portions of the sides 5 and 6 are extended both forwardly and rearwardly, so that each of the sides has the generaloutline of a boot, and connecting the forwardly-extending portions 11 and 12 of the lower port-ions of the side and attached to the lower edges thereof is an arcshaped metal plate 13, which, in connection with the portions 11 and 12, forms a tray, into which the matches are discharged from the hopper in the manner hereinafter described and from which the matches may be readily withdrawn.

In the inner faces of the sides 5 and-6 are formed grooves 14 and 15, in which is slidably mounted a discharge-plate 16, which travels in close proximity to .the lower edge of the transparent plate 8. Directly below the dis-' charge-plate 16 is the hopper-bottom 17, upon which or in close proximity to the upper face of which the discharge-plate moves as it is reciprocated in the said slots, The front edge of the portion 17 is flush with the front face of the transparent plate 8. Formed transversely of the plate 16 and extending through it from top to bottom is a discharge-slot 19 of such a width and of such length as to receive a single match, the length of the slot being equal to the distance between the sides 5 and f the hopper. When the discharge-plate 16is movedrearwardly so that its slot lies within the hopper, a match will pass from the hopper into the slot, and when the plate is drawn outwardly until its discharge-slot is beyond the bottom 17 the match will drop or fallfrom the slot and into the tray above described,'from which latter it may be then removed. The matches in the hopper rest upon the discharge-plate, and the plate is of sufficient length that its rear end will project beyond the back 7 of the hopper when the discharge-slot is in position :to discharge the match therefrom. A stop is provided for limiting the forward movement of the discharge-plate and serves also to hold the said discharge-plate normally and yieldably retracted. This stop consists of a spring-wire 20, the lower end of which'is passed through a perforation 21 in the rear end portion of the discharge plate, below which said wire projects. The wire is continued upwardly from the discharge-plate, above which it is bent to form a horizontal helix 22, which is seated in a socket 23 in the back of the hopper, the wire above the helix'being bent laterally to form an eye 24, through which isengaged a retaining-screw 25. Above the eye 24: the wire is bent outwardly or rearwardly and then upwardly and terminates in a loop 26, which may be engaged over a pin when the match-safe is to be hung up. The helix 22 is under such tension that when the discharge-plate is drawn forwardly and then released said helix serves to retract the plate against the friction of the matches supported thereon.

To press the discharge-plate forwardly, as above described, a double bell-crank lever is provided and consists of the short shaft portions 27 and 28, which are connected by the lnverted-U-shaped portion 29, the bight 30 of which rests against the rear face of the spring-wire below the discharge-plate. From the shaft portions 27 and 28 project the finger-pieces 29 and 30, which extend forwardly and upwardly over the base 10. If either of these finger-pieces be depressed, the double bell-crank lever will be given a partial rotation, so that the central bight portion thereof will press forwardly against the lower end portion of the spring-wire and will advance the discharge-plate, so that the match in the slot thereof will be carried forwardly and discharged into the tray, as above described. When the finger-piece is released, the springwire will move the discharge-plate rearwardly or retract it, so that another match may pass into the discharge-slot ready for precipitation into the tray upon the next forward movement of the discharge slide or plate. The lower end portion of the spring-wire by contact with the back of the hopper serves to limit the forward movement of the dischargeplate.

Upon the base 10,at the forward end thereof, is attached some suitable abrasive material 30 for striking matches.

It will be seen that in the present construction there are employed few parts and that the spring-wire at the back of the hopper serves to retract the dischargeplate, acts as a stop for the discharge-plate in its forward movement, forms a connection between the advancing lever and the discharge-plate, and forms a hanger for the safe. The rearward movement of the discharge-plate is limited by the stops 31 in the paths of return movement of the operating finger-pieces.

To insure the matches lying parallel and transversely of the slide, the entire upper surface thereof is provided with corrugations adapted each to receive a match.

hat is claimed is- 1. A match-safe comprising a hopper having openings in its front and back adjacent to its bottom, a discharge-plate slidably mounted in said openings and lying in close relation to the upper face of the bottom, said plate having a slot therethrough movable with the plate to lie within or without the hopper as the plate is reoiprocated, a spring-lever attached to the back of the hopper and extending downwardly through and below the discharge-plate, and a bell-crank finger-lever.

disposed against the lower end portion of the spring lever for advancing the discharge plate against the action of the lever.

2. A match-safe comprising a hopper having openings in its front and back adjacent to its bottom, a discharge-plate mounted in said openings and lying in close relation to the upper face of the bottom, said plate having a discharge-openingtherethrongh movable with the plate to lie within or without the hopper as the plate is reciprocated, a spring-wire passed vertically through the discharge-plate in the rear of the hopper and extending below the discharge-plate, said wire above the discharge-plate being bent to form a helical spring and being secured to the hopper above said spring, the wire above its point of attachment to the hopper terminating in a loop, and a double bell-crank lever in contact with the rear face of the spring-Wire below the discharge-plate and including finger-pieces extending forwardly atopposite sides of the hopper, said finger-pieces having means for limiting their upward movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP SCIIICK.

Witnesses:

F. W. MEIER, PERRY TROZIER. 

